I Shall Atone
by flavumetrubrum
Summary: After Mikey gets hurt, Leo promises to make it up to him. Just how far will Leo go to keep that promise?
1. Chapter 1

Nothing's changed—I still don't own the turtles. Enjoy!

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Leonardo sat in Michelangelo's dark room, next to the bed. His head was in his hands and his shoulders were shaking, ever-so-slightly. He lifted a tear-streaked face to look at his baby brother; pain and guilt filled his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Mikey. I… I should have been there. I should have kept this from happening. I… it's entirely my fault!" He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock. Seven thirty in the morning. He had stayed up all night again. He replaced his deep blue mask over his reddened eyes and stood up stiffly. His other brothers would be up soon, and he could already hear Master Splinter making tea in the kitchen. Normally Leo would already be practicing in the dojo—but there was nothing normal about today.

Leo shook his head and tried to keep the memories from returning, but to no avail. He could see—just as vividly as when it happened—Raph and Don carrying an unconscious Mikey into the lair, his blood dripping down his face and their arms. Time had stopped for Leo then. He hadn't gone on the patrol that night with his brothers—all because of a stupid headache. Usually it wouldn't have stopped him, but everything had been quiet for so long and he didn't think they would run into any trouble. So he had stayed home to rest. And because of his weakness, Mikey had been hurt.

Don had assured him over and over that Mikey would be alright and that it was just a concussion and scalps had a tendency to bleed like crazy. But what if it had been more serious? What if he had died? What if they had all been hurt, or captured—and Leo hadn't been there to help. He had promised his brothers and himself that he would always be there to protect them. But he had broken that promise; he had let his brothers down just because of a little migraine. Leo hated himself for that.

Leo placed his hand on Mikey's shoulder and whispered one more time before leaving his room and heading to the dojo, "I'm so sorry, Mikey. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I shall atone."

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I'm sorry it's so short, but it's just the prologue and I promise I'll update soon. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, and Kyaserin Marii for your reviews. Enjoy!

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A few days passed without much happening. Mikey was told to take it easy—much to his pleasure—and Leo kept his other brothers in the lair as much as possible. Any training runs they went on were restricted to the sewers. He didn't want to take a chance on either of his other brothers getting hurt. He knew he couldn't keep them inside forever (especially not Raph—it was only a matter of time until he ran off topside to blow off some steam), but he hoped they would at least wait until all four of them could go out together. It wasn't so much that he thought three of them couldn't take care of themselves, but he didn't want to leave Mikey. He was responsible for the accident, and he intended to make sure nothing else happened to his happy-go-lucky youngest brother.

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"Raphael, where do you think you're going?" Leo had just walked out of the dojo after an extra-long practice to find his hot-headed brother sneaking out of the lair.

"Out. You got a problem with that?" Raph responded, barely sparing a glance back over his shoulder.

"Just… stay in the sewers, okay Raph?" Leo knew there was no way to keep Raph from going topside this time, but he had to try. He wanted all of his brothers safe.

"I'm tired of always stayin' in the sewers. I'm goin _out_, as in out_side_. See ya later." Leo was starting to panic a little. He wanted so badly to go with Raph and make sure he didn't get hurt, but he had to stay with Mikey. He had been hoping so much that Raph would just wait a few more days until Mikey was well enough to go topside with them.

"At least…. At least let Donny go with you. We need to stick together as much as possible."

Raph looked like he was going to protest for a moment before deciding to agree. "Fine. Hey Don! Let's go topside!" The brainy turtle's head poked out of his lab, looking confused.

"I don't think…. Leo! You're okay with this?" Don asked, his eyes going wide as they took in Leo and Raph standing by the door to the lair. Leo nodded, and Don immediately disappeared into the lab, only to reappear a second later, eyes still wide with excitement. Don looked back over his shoulder at his oldest brother who was still standing in the same spot. "Aren't you coming, bro?"

"No… I'm going to stay here with Mikey. Master Splinter's out and I don't think he should be left alone."

"Oh, okay. See you later." Raph and Don left, the door sliding closed behind them. Leo could have sworn he heard Raph mumble something about him being "about as much fun as the dead guy at a funeral", but he didn't really care. He turned around to see Mikey staring at the door wistfully from the couch.

"Don't worry, Mikey. You'll be out there again in no time," Leo said, trying to cheer up his usually cheerful brother.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I know! It's okay, bro." Leo walked over and sat down next to Mikey, glancing at the TV. His youngest brother was watching some cartoon Leo didn't recognize. He turned to look back at the door to the lair, an uneasy feeling suddenly hitting him. _I shouldn't have let them go out,_ he thought. He turned his attention back to the annoying cartoon, trying to ignore the dread that was growing inside him.

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I'm so sorry it took me so long to update—for some reason I always seem to have trouble with the second chapters of my stories. They always turn out short and unsatisfactory, plus they take forever to figure out how to write. Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

First of all, I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I didn't have any time to write over spring break—ironic, no? Anyway, I hope this chapter makes up for the wait. Now back to my regular routine: Still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, and Eridani23 for your reviews. Enjoy!

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_Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo leaped from roof-top to roof-top, eyeing the street and alleys below. Suddenly something seemed to catch Raph's eye and he motioned for the others to stop. They crept to the edge of the roof they were on and peered into a dark, narrow alley. Two men were carrying a large crate to the back of a van where four more men were waiting. _

"_Purple dragons," Raph muttered, almost as if it was a curse. Forgetting about ninja stealth, the hot-headed turtle jumped off of the roof, landing on the top of the van. Don and Mikey were soon behind him, weapons drawn. "I don't know whatcha got there, but whatever it is ya ain't gonna keep it." Without responding, the gang members by the van drew their weapons and prepared to fight. The three turtles were off of the van in a flash, disarming the purple dragons and knocking the crate away from their grasps. Soon, all of the dragons were on the ground, either unconscious or moaning, and the three brothers turned to leave after calling the police. _

"_I'm hungry. Can we go home now?" Mikey whined. Raph turned around to glare at Mikey, opening his mouth to say something, before freezing and yelling._

"_Mikey, look out!" The gang member that has sneaked up behind the orange-wearing turtle lifted his large gun over his head and brought it down, hard, on Mikey's skull. In less than three seconds the dragon was lying on the ground, bleeding from a sai would in his chest. Raph and Don were at their little brother's side in a second, trying to stop the bleeding and bring Mikey back to consciousness…._

Leo awoke with a start when he heard Mikey's voice. "Leo? Leo, wake up. Are you okay?" Leo looked around in confusion for a moment before realizing what had happened. He had fallen asleep on the 

couch after Don and Raph left, and his dreams had been less that pleasant. He had heard the story of Mikey's accident so many times that he could almost see it, as evidenced by his nightmare.

"Uh, yeah, Mikey. I just had a bad dream. Are Raph and Donny back yet?" Mikey sat down on the couch next to him and shook his head.

"They just left fifteen minutes ago, bro. Knowing them, they might not be back for a couple hours." Leo just nodded, glancing at the clock. It was 9:30 at night—Mikey was right; they could be gone for hours. He was about to tell Mikey he was going to go train when a noise outside the lair stopped him.

"It looks like they headed home early. Or maybe Master Splinter's back." Leo stood up and walked to the door, trying to fight back another wave of uneasiness. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks. That wasn't his brothers—or his sensei—on the other side of the door. He reflexively reached for his swords, silently drawing them from their sheathes.

"What is it, bro?" Leo glanced back to see Mikey staring at him over the back of the couch, a puzzled expression on his face.

"I'm not sure, Mikey. I just know it's not a friend. Call Donny—make sure he and Raph are alright. Then go up to your room." Mikey opened his mouth to protest, but Leo interrupted him. "You're in no condition to fight. Whoever's out there managed to make it past our perimeter alarms without setting any of them off. I don't want you to take any chances."

Mikey sighed and dialed Don on his shell cell, muttering something under his breath. The best Leo could tell, it was something like, "Oh yeah, Fearless Leader is the only one who gets to take chances." He decided to ignore the disconcertingly Raph-like comment and focus on the intruder… or intruders. There weren't too many possibilities. It could just be an animal that had made its way into the sewers, but that was unlikely. It would take a lot of luck and skill to get past those alarms—something common animals didn't have an abundance of. But any of the other options left him feeling sick to his stomach. What if the Shredder had figured out their location… again. Leo didn't want to have to abandon another lair, and he knew his brother didn't either. Not to mention the two of them couldn't hold off the Shredder alone—and Leo was the only one healthy enough to fight.

"He's not picking up…." Mikey's voice was interrupted by the lair door sliding open. Leo's head flew back around to stare through the open door.

"Aw, shell."

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Okay, I hadn't exactly intended to end the chapter here, but I couldn't really help it. I'll try to post again soon, so please don't kill me. I'm not particularly fond of death threats…. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. It should get pretty exciting in the next chapter—there should be some action. The dream sequence is for those of you who wanted to know what happened to Mikey—it's not too important to the plot. Anyway, thanks for reading. I'll update as soon as I can.


	4. Chapter 4

Still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, and Eridani23 for your reviews. Enjoy!

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Raph and Donny stood on the rooftop, facing off against the horde of foot ninjas. Both had their weapons drawn and were preparing to attack when a low buzzing broke the oppressive silence. "Why now?" Donny muttered, reaching into his belt for his cell shell. It was Mikey. The brainy turtle instantly became concerned; his brother would only be calling if he was worried or if he was in trouble. And considering he and Raph had only been gone about twenty minutes, his money was on the latter. He didn't have a chance to answer it, however, before one of the Foot kicked it out of his hand. "Hey, I worked hard on that!" Don shouted before engaging the offending ninja in combat. Hopefully Mikey wasn't in too much trouble…

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Master Splinter used his walking stick to block the Foot ninjas' many attacks. He had been ambushed in the sewers on his way back to the lair by about thirty of the Shredder's soldiers. He fought as hard as he could, his thoughts dwelling on his sons' safety. They were in danger, and he wanted—no, needed—to help them. He swung his "weapon" at one of his foes with a cry. He would aid his sons.

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Leo was at the open door in an instant, locking weapons with the closest Elite. He quickly shouted at Mikey over his shoulder, "Get upstairs, now. Keep trying Raph and Don." The younger turtles hesitated for only a second before turning and staggering up the stairs as fast as his condition would allow.

"Fine, but I'm coming back as soon as they pick up!" Leo found himself almost hoping his brothers didn't answer, but soon banished the thought when he realized what that could imply. Instead, he focused only on striving to keep the two members of the Elite out of the lair. He wished with all his heart that his brothers and sensei were home—Mikey was right when he said he couldn't hold them off alone. But he would do everything in his power to keep his brother safe until help arrived.

Leo noticed with a jolt that as he was fighting one of the Elite, the other was edging his away around the two, trying to sneak into the lair. With a yell, Leo landed a two-legged kick on the chest of the one he was fighting. As soon as his feet connected with flesh he shoved off and dove straight for the other Elite. The two ninjas crashed to the ground with Leo on top of the second, sparks flying as their blades connected. Leo lifted the hilt of one of his katanas to knock the Elite unconscious, but just before the blow landed the Shredder's minion disappeared in a swirl of smoke, reappearing behind him next to the other.

_I hate it when they do that,_ Leo thought. He dropped into a fighting stance before attacking again, this time aiming blows at both of the ninjas. Although the Elite blocked all of his strikes, Leo was gratified to notice that they hadn't landed any blows either. He kicked out with his leg, attempting to sweep one of the ninjas' legs out from under him. The Elite jumped over the attack, but Leo took advantage of his distraction to land a blow with his sword to the Elite's leg. He was somewhat surprised to see that the ninja bled.

Leo whirled around to face the other Elite when suddenly something in the corner of his vision caught his attention. The other two Elite had somehow made it into the lair a different way—Leo had no idea how that was possible—and had Mikey tied up between them. Leo skidded to a halt mid-attack only to be rewarded with a blow to the shell from one of the Elite's weapons. He fell forward to his hands and knees, pain shooting through his torso as his ribs strongly protested the abuse. He didn't stay down, however, but was almost immediately up and running toward his little brother's captors.

"I would advise you to stop now, turtle." Leo was shocked into stopping as he slowly registered that the stern voice was coming from one of the Elite holding Mikey. Not only did they bleed, but they spoke as well. But Leo was more disturbed to see a dagger at his brother's throat, threatening to his end his life. Leo scarcely dared breathe for fear of angering his enemies. "Drop your weapons and surrender, or the orange one dies." Leo instantly complied. He looked closely at Mikey, making sure the Elite hadn't hurt him. He seemed a little dazed but unharmed.

"If you so much as nick him I swear I'll…"

"Enough. Both you and your brother are at our mercy. I would advise you do not threaten us," the usually silent ninja commanded. Leo glanced behind him only to see the two ninjas he had been fighting 

holding their own weapons inches away from his back. "And do not count on your other brother or that rat you call father aiding you any time soon. They are… otherwise engaged." Leo had never felt as angry as he did at that moment—or as helpless.

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Ooh, this chapter was fun to write. I hope it mad up for the "horrible, evil, and despised cliffhanger", and hope there will be no more use of "nasty-looking weapons." Hehe, anyway, thanks for reading and I'll try to update soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Well, seeing as how I'm still getting death threats, I thought it wise to post again (I guess mentioning "nasty-looking weapons" really does help, hehe). I'll _try_ not to leave you with a cliffie, but it really is tempting to use my power as an author for evil, you know. Anyway, thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, and Eridani23 for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Leo shifted uneasily in the horrible silence. Mikey's life was still in danger, and for all he knew so were Raph's, Don's, and Master Splinter's. He looked at his youngest brother who seemed to be growing more aware of the situation, based on the fear that was appearing in his eyes. Leo hated seeing that fear, but at least it meant Mikey was okay… for now.

"Bind him," the only Elite who had spoken so far commanded the others behind Leo. He was tempted to dive for his swords and attack the ninjas, but one swift glance at Mikey stilled him. He settled for merely glaring as the two Elite tied his hands behind his back and then proceeded to tie him to one of the poles supporting the roof of the lair. Mikey was led down from the top floor and tied across from Leo, so that the two turtle brothers were facing each other. As soon as Leo was secured, the apparent leader of the Elite spoke again. "Your pathetic family will be joining you soon, as will the Shredder. Your time is coming to an end, freak."

Leo growled and pulled against the ropes that were holding him back. "Leave my family out of this!" he snarled.

"Now, now, Leonardo. Is that any way to speak to my loyal follower? You dishonor me with your words." Leo froze when he heard the all-too-familiar voice of his arch-enemy. Did that mean his family had been captured? When had the Shredder come inside? Surely he would have heard if he had entered through the door.

The four Elite quickly bowed and reported to the Shredder. "We have secured the target and his youngest brother—the Foot are even now capturing the others, my Lord," the leader said. The large armored form of the Shredder nodded as he stepped for the first time into Leo's view. The turtle let out an unconscious sigh of relief. His other family members were not with the hated man. Then the Elite's 

words sank in. _The target? _he thought. _I'm the target?_ Leo looked to Mikey to see if he had caught the meaning of the ninja's words, but wasn't surprised to see that he hadn't. He did seem to be fully alert, however, and was staring at Leo with eyes full of questions.

Leo closed his eyes and tried to think of a way out of this. Based on what the Elite said, his brothers and Sensei were too busy to help them. He hoped they would be able to come soon, but he couldn't count on them. Mikey was still recovering from his accident and wouldn't be able to fight to the best of his abilities, even if they were able to get free. Now that the Shredder was here and watching them, their chances of escape were greatly reduced. Leo sighed in frustration and smacked his head against the pole he was tied to. He had to think of something….

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Raph and Donny stood panting on the roof, finally having defeated all of the Foot ninjas. It had been hard work and they were sore and exhausted, but they had escaped without serious injury. Don walked over to his cell shell and checked to make sure it still worked. It was dented but not broken. He quickly flipped it open and dialed Mikey, praying that he was not in any danger. The voice that answered his little brother's phone sent tendrils of ice snaking through his body. "Hello, turtle. I see you have defeated my ninjas. Bravo. Now if you would care to join us, we would be glad to have your company." The Shredder turned the phone so that Don could see first Mikey and then Leo tied up and bound to poles in the middle of the lair. Then the phone went dead.

"Um, Raph? We have a problem."

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Okay, hopefully that wasn't too bad, right? I'm beginning to fear for my life…. I hope that two quick updates will encourage you to "put down the pitchfork and fire on a stick!" Maybe this will assuage murderous reviewers… maybe…. Hehe, thanks for reading faithfully. I'll update soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, I feel a little safer now… at least the weapons are hidden… for now. I'll try not to rekindle any killing intent with this chapter. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, and hmw95 for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Leo decided the best thing to do was try to buy some time while he tested the strength of his bonds. The Elite had only used rope, so maybe if he distracted his enemies enough he could work free.

"What do you want with us, Shredder?" He had hoped to startle the armored man with his sudden question, but it seemed the only one who was taken surprise was Mikey.

"I am surprised that you of all… _people_," Shredder replied, making the word sound like a curse, "have not figured it out by now. I wish to be rid of you and your bothersome family forever."

Leo rolled his eyes. _No duh, Mikey could have told me that. _Leo tried a different approach. "You forget that you don't have the rest of my family. They defeated your ninjas."

The Shredder laughed, sending chills through Leo's body. "Your brothers and the rat will be here soon enough, turtle. They may have defeated my ninjas, but they will try to rescue you. And when they do, I will kill them all one by one in front of you. Then you will die."

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Mikey's blood turned to ice when he heard the last part of the Shredder's speech. He was using him and Leo to lure the rest of their family to the lair, then he was going to kill them all. In front of Leo. Maybe the others wouldn't come… or maybe they would defeat the Shredder and set them free… or maybe Leo would get loose and kill the Shredder and the Elite…. _Or maybe you're really going to die this time, _a 

traitorous voice in Mikey's head told him. He pushed the thought from his mind, focusing on remaining positive.

Leo didn't seem to have been hurt during his fight, except maybe some sore ribs, so if they could get loose at least one of them would be able to fight. And if the others did come, surely they would be able to help defeat the Shredder and his Elite. _Leo'll get us out of this. I know he will,_ Mikey told himself. After all, his oldest brother had always come through for him before. And he had every confidence that he wouldn't be let down this time, either.

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Master Splinter finished off the last of the Foot and set off for his home immediately. The danger he felt surrounding his sons had intensified, and he now felt extreme turmoil radiating from his oldest son's being. He wasn't too far from their home, but the distance felt like miles as he hurried through the sewer tunnels. He was almost home when another group of Foot ninjas appeared out of seemingly nowhere and attacked him. The distance to his home seemed to multiply exponentially.

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Raph looked at his brother in shock. "The Shred-head's in the lair? And he has Mikey and Leo?"

"That's what I said isn't it?" Don snapped, the situation making him uncharacteristically impatient. "Now what are we going to do about it?" Don wanted desperately to rush to his brothers' aid, but it was obvious that Saki wanted them to do just that. It was a trap, and Don had no intention of walking into it. But they couldn't just leave Leo and Mikey to the Shredder's mercy.

"We go get 'em, that's what," Raph replied in a 'what-the-shell-kind-of-question-is-that?' tone. He started to walk to the edge of the roof in the direction of the lair.

Don sighed exasperatedly. He had hoped he wouldn't have to explain this to his older brother. "That's just what he wants us to do, Raph. We have to have a plan."

"Now you're starting to sound like Leo. Here's the plan: we go in, we free Leo and Mikey, and we kick Shredder's sorry butt. Now let's go."

"It's not as easy as that. The Elite were there, and who knows how many Foot ninjas he has hiding in the sewer. We need a strategy. A way to sneak in," Don said, beginning to get really annoyed.

"So we kick their butts too. Big deal."

Don glared at his hotheaded brother, praying for patience. "And what's going to stop Saki from killing Mikey and Leo as soon as we do, huh? They're not exactly in any position to help out." That shut Raph up.

"Okay Brainiack, so what's the plan?" An idea was starting to form in the back of Don's mind.

He grinned. "Try to keep up, Raphie-boy."

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That wasn't too bad, right? At least we know the guys have a plan…. I have my armor out just in case…. Well, please let me know what you think. I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7

Yay! No more death threats! I can sleep soundly tonight… is it just me or am I suddenly developing a corny sense of humor? _Anyway_… now that I've thoroughly embarrassed myself…. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Don and Raph sneaked down the sewer tunnel, relieved to finally be away from the Foot-infested roofs. Donny had run over the plan with his brother several times, but he still had an uneasy feeling. He could feel the anger radiating from Raph, and he was afraid he would try to do something rash. Don tried to suppress the feeling and have faith in his brother, but the nagging sense would not go away.

"Yo, Don, look," Raph's voice interrupted his thoughts. Don followed Raphael's gaze and froze in his tracks. They had come to a tunnel that broke off from the one the lair was off of, and down that tunnel, not thirty feet away, was Master Splinter. Their rat sensei was engaged in a fierce battle against at least fifty Foot ninjas. "Change o' plans, Brainiack. Let's go." For once the intelligent turtle had to agree with his brother. The two sprinted down the tunnel and engaged the closest enemy ninjas in combat.

"My sons, where are your brothers?" Splinter said upon seeing his two middle sons join the fight. Don spared a quick glance at Raph, whose face clearly said, 'I ain't tellin' 'im!' Don sighed and, as he used his bo staff to knock one of the ninjas unconscious, called back to his master.

"The Shredder has them. They're in the lair." Don's short speech immediately caused worry to join the determination on the old rat's face. The three mutants fought in silence for several minutes before defeating the Foot ninjas.

"Let us hurry to your brothers. There may be more of the Shredder's minions hiding in the sewers."

Raph nodded and Don grinned. "We're way ahead of you, Master Splinter."

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Leo continued to pull on the ropes, gratified to finally feel them start to give. He had stopped talking a few minutes ago to avoid stirring up suspicion, but he was still wary of his enemy's eyes. He hoped with all his heart that his brothers and sensei didn't come after him and Mikey; it was unnecessary and dangerous. If he could just get free he could cut Mikey loose and get out of there with minimal fighting—at least, he hoped so. Then when they were all together again, they could take down the Shredder as a team.

Leo knew the Shredder was using their strength against them on purpose. He had successfully divided the team and he had no intention of letting them reunite any time soon… if ever. So Leo had to use that to his advantage somehow.

He glanced over at Mikey, who was watching him with big, worried eyes. Of course he was scared—the Shredder had just threatened to kill all of them. But Leo wouldn't let that happen—not in a million years. Not while he was still alive. Not in front of his very eyes…. The very thought caused Leo's heart to nearly stop beating. He knew he would not be able to take any of his brothers' deaths, especially if he had to witness them helplessly. No, he would not let that happen. He would not let the Shredder touch any of his brothers. If he did, it would be over Leo's _very_ dead body. Leo pulled harder on the ropes, remembering his promise to Mikey. Yes, if anyone so much as flicked his baby brother, Leo's body would already be decaying.

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Mikey stared at his oldest brother, willing his ropes to break. He had noticed shortly after the Shredder stopped threatening them that Leo was trying to break free—he only hoped their captor didn't notice as well. He had tried to follow Leo's example, but he quickly realized that he had no chance of doing so without being caught. So instead he just sat and watched Leo struggle to get loose.

Mikey took a deep breath, trying to dispel the anxiety he had been feeling ever since the Shredder's threat. He had been hoping his brothers and sensei were on their way, but after the speech he found himself hoping they were far away and headed in the opposite direction. Of course, the phone call from Donny hadn't helped anything. There was no way he could keep Raph away after that, even if he 

wanted to. And Don wouldn't want to keep away—he might not have been as hot-headed as Raphael, but he cared about his brothers just as much. Which meant they were still coming.

So Mikey prayed that Leo would be free long before they got there. He would get them out of this, no question. Shredder had already practically promised not to kill them until the others arrived, so he knew there was a chance, if Leo could get them untied, that they could escape before the Shredder completed his revenge. So he clung to that hope, placing all of his trust on his big brother.

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"That is indeed a wise plan, my son. It is dangerous, but considering the circumstances I do not believe that to be avoidable," Splinter said, nodding to Donatello. There were certain risks involved, but he knew they had no other choice. "Have you already spoken with Ms. O'Neal and Mr. Jones?"

"Yes, Master Splinter. They're on their way."

"Very good, now we must prepare for our part of the plan, my sons."

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Sorry for the wait, I guess maybe death threats are a motivation… wait, what am I saying? Now I'm going to have nasty-looking weapons poking into every part of my body…! Anyway, so not much happened in this chapter, but it's more of a set-up chapter for what happens in the next few chapters. I hope it wasn't too boring. As always, I'll try to update soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	8. Chapter 8

Motivation without the weapons is happy! Yay! Hehe…. Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Two humans, a giant rat, and two ninja turtles stood in a tunnel not too far from the lair's door, preparing to carry out a daring plan. From a distance the two humans appeared to be Foot ninjas without their masks on, but to Master Splinter, Raphael, and Donatello, it was very obvious they were their friends, April O'Neal and Casey Jones. They were holding Raph, bound and subdued, between them. Don and Master Splinter stood close by, holding their weapons.

"Okay, so April and Casey, you two go in, tell the Shredder we're dead, and pretend to tie Raph to one of the poles. As soon as you've cut Mikey and Leo free, Raph gets up and opens the lair door. Master Splinter and I will come in and we'll kick the Shredder's butt. Everyone got it?" Don was saying.

"We got it the first ten times, Brainiac. Now let's go." Raph started to walk toward the lair, practically dragging his human friends along with him.

"Hey, Raph. We're supposed to be dragging you here, remember?" Casey complained. The hot-headed turtle stopped and let them catch up, then they all headed toward the lair door.

"And remember, my son. Be careful."

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Leo shut his eyes against the pain as he pulled especially hard on the ropes around his wrists. He could tell they were about to give. He eased up for a second before yanking with all he had—and grunted with surprise when he felt them break easily. He was free; now all he had to do was wait for the right 

timing and set Mikey free as well. He glanced up at his brother and smiled encouragingly, nodding his head ever-so-slightly. The happy-go-lucky turtle's eyes immediately lit up and he smiled back happily.

Leo turned his gaze to the Shredder, watching for an opening, a moment when Saki was distracted or at least not staring holes into him and his little brother. His head whirled around, however, when the lair door slid open and three figures walked in.

Leo's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach when he saw Raph being led by two Foot soldiers. His brother had been captured too. He looked behind him, dreading to see Donny and Master Splinter as well, but they weren't there. He felt just a little relieved, knowing that the Shredder still wouldn't kill them until he had all of them. But it was one more brother he had to worry about—one more brother he had to get free.

Saki was also staring at the newcomers, obviously displeased. "Where are the others? Why have you only brought me one turtle?"

The smaller ninja on the left bowed and cleared his… no, her throat. "The one called Donatello and their rat master have been killed, Master." Leo felt like someone had ripped his heart from his chest and poured salt water in the wound. Donny and Master Splinter… dead? It couldn't be possible… it couldn't be real! He heard a small choking sound from close by and turned to look where Mikey was. The youngest turtle was biting his lip, obviously trying hard not to cry. His chest was heaving with silent sobs and tears were starting to drip down his cheeks.

Suddenly determination filled Leo—determination not to let anything hurt his remaining family. The Shredder had taken way too much from them already. He noticed the two ninjas tie Raph to one of the poles next to Mikey.

"This is indeed disappointing. I had hoped to kill all of them myself, in front of Leonardo, but I shall do with what I have. Now, Leonardo, watch as I destroy your pathetic family once and for all." The Shredder started to walk toward Michelangelo, claws drawn back and ready to strike. Leo knew he had to act now. Without his weapons to block the attack, Leo leaped forward, ropes trailing from his wrists, and threw himself in front of the Shredder.

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Mikey watched in horror as Leo sprinted across the room, placing himself between the Shredder's claws and his little brother. The hated blades swept downward, but instead of their intended target they hit Leo's hands… and kept going.

The claws ripped through the flesh on Leo's palms, making him cry out, before proceeding downward and carving three grooves in his plastron. They didn't stop until they were lodged deep in his stomach, blood dripping onto the floor in front of Mikey. He stared at his brother's shell, now only inches from his face, as Leo fell backward into his lap. The claws were ripped from his stomach with a sickening sucking noise.

Silence filled the whole lair as Mikey stared down at Leo's pain-filled face, tears dripping down to join the blood running onto the floor. Suddenly an unearthly roar ripped through the lair and Raph was in front of Mikey and Leo, twirling his sais and attacking the Shredder. Mikey was vaguely aware of the lair door opening again, and suddenly his hands were free. He didn't care who had cut the ropes as he pulled his numb arms out from behind the pillar and wrapped them around his oldest brother.

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Donny's mouth fell open as the door opened, revealing a scene that hadn't been a part of the plan. Raph was already fighting the Shredder, Mikey was holding a heavily bleeding Leo, April was kneeling next to the fallen turtle, trying to stop the bleeding, and Casey was standing in front of them, a panicked look on his now un-masked face.

"Casey, what happened?" he practically shouted as Master Splinter ran forward to join Raph in fighting Saki.

"I don't know—one second everything was going according to plan and the next Leo was bleeding and Raph was fighting and…." Don was already half-way to his brothers before Casey started to speak. He fell to his knees beside Leo's still form and began to apply pressure to the worst of the wound. Mikey was rocking back and forth holding onto Leo. Suddenly a wet hand was wrapped around his wrists and he realized with horror that Leo's hand was almost cut in half.

"Don… you're alive?" Leo's voice was weak and distant, but at least he was still awake. Mikey's eyes snapped up to look at Don, and his mouth fell open. Donny was confused for just a second before realization dawned on him. Of course Leo and Mikey thought he and Master Splinter were dead.

"Yeah, sorry about that bro. It was just part of the plan—we're fine." Leo's eyes closed and he relaxed into Mikey's arms as he fell unconscious. Don pressed harder onto the wound, knowing that Leo couldn't feel the pain anymore.

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Raph attacked the Shredder with everything he had in him. He had hurt his brother. He had hurt Leo. Raph hadn't been fast enough to block the attack with his sais… it was his fault. If he had been faster, Leo wouldn't have had to protect his brother with his bare hands. He put all of his frustration and anger into attacking the one who had hurt his brother.

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Okay, so I know this sort of qualifies as a cliff-hanger, but… um…. Well, I'll let you know when I come up with a legitimate excuse. Um… thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews (I stuck a little something in here as a joke—let me know if you catch it!). I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Don held one of his elbow pads to Leo's stomach, willing the bleeding to stop. He spared another quick glance to Leo's hand, and suppressed a shudder. His right hand had taken the brunt of the attack, and Don could see the bones through the blood and torn tissue. His left hand was almost as bad, bleeding heavily but not exposing the bone. He only hoped he could fix the tendons and muscles enough to where Leo could still use his katanas effectively—it would destroy him if he couldn't.

"Donny, let's get him out of here. The sooner we're gone the sooner Raph and Master Splinter can escape," April said from beside him. As much as Don hated the idea of moving his injured brother, he knew it was the only way to save him—as well as the rest of his family and friends. Mikey was still clinging to Leo's shoulders like a life preserver and sobbing; Don gently grabbed his hands and tried to get his little brother's attention.

"Hey, Mikey. We've got to move Leo, okay? Can you help?" Mikey nodded and finally moved his arms from around Leo's neck, sliding them gently under his arms. "I'll get his legs—April, can you try to hold him still? I don't want to disrupt the wound."

"Sure Don," the red-head replied. The brainy turtle lifted Leo's legs and the three moved the fallen leader as gently as possible toward the door. They were almost to safety when one of the Elite appeared in front of them, wielding a nasty-looking weapon. Mikey let out a little squeak and tightened his grip on Leo, edging away from the ninja. Don looked around desperately for somewhere to lay his big brother so he could fight. Just as the Elite was about to attack the helpless turtles and their human friend, Casey, still clad mostly like a Foot ninja, jumped in the way. He was twirling a hockey stick and had the rest of his back-up weapons, which he kept in the lair, slung across his back.

"Don, get 'im out of here. I'll take care of this goon," the tall man called over his shoulder. Don didn't hesitate. The four of them started back toward the door, slipping out as quietly as possible. Don spared a quick glance back toward Raph and Master Splinter who were still fighting off the Shredder. At least they seemed unhurt. Hopefully Raph would see the hopelessness of the situation and would leave with little or no trouble once Leo was safely away. Without all of them to fight, it was just too risky.

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Raph growled in frustration as he attacked the Shredder yet again. They were making no headway in defeating their hated enemy. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Don, Mikey, and April carry Leo out the door, leaving Casey behind to take on an Elite. _Not a good idea,_ he thought.

"Raphael, my son, we must retreat," Master Splinter called from his side. "Your brothers have gotten Leonardo to safety—we cannot stay to fight alone." As much as Raph hated the word "retreat", he knew his sensei was right. They didn't stand a chance now that Leo was out of the equation. The only way they could ever hope to defeat Saki was together. So he grudgingly backed toward the door, keeping his sais in his hands and his eyes on the Shredder.

"Yo Casey, let's go!" he called to his friend. The vigilante also began to back toward the exit, also willing to give up the fight for now. As soon as they were in the sewer tunnel, they turned and ran to where the others were waiting, holding a limp Leo among them. Raph cringed when he saw the extent of the wounds but refused to think about it. For now, his only concern was getting all of them to safety.

"We've got to get to the Battle Shell. It won't be long until Saki sends his minions out here after us," Don explained as the seven of them made their way down the tunnel, trying to move as quickly as they could without causing more damage to Leo.

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As soon as they were safely in the Battle Shell and on their way to April's apartment—again—Mikey broke down. The events of the evening began to sink in, and he realized what Leo had done. He had acted as a "human" shield, placing his body between him and danger. He had blocked the Shredder's blades with his bare hands, and look where it had gotten him. Mikey longed to hold onto his brother's hand, but one glance at the bleeding appendages and the youngest turtle settled for holding his still brother's head in his lap as tears again slid down his cheeks.

As he began to sob loudly, he felt a warm, furry paw on his shoulder. "Shh, it is okay, my son. Your brother will be alright." Mikey threw his arms around his father's neck and cried into his shoulder, trying not to disturb Leo's head.

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Yay! They're out of the lair! Kudos to anyone who caught my little… um… joke thingy. I thought about not putting it in there, but I laughed so much I decided to leave it. Hopefully I'm not the only one who found it a little funny…. Thanks for reading! I'll update as soon as I can.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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After Mikey recovered from his break-down, the ride to April's was stiflingly silent. Everyone stared at Leo anxiously, watching as Don tried his best to stop the bleeding with the few supplies he kept stored in the Battle Shell. The oldest turtle's hands had been wrapped in gauze and Don held more to the deepest cuts on Leo's plastron. As Casey pulled the Battle Shell into the alley next to April's apartment, Raph stepped to Leo's side silently and helped Don lift him, leaving Mikey free to keep Leo stable.

As soon as they were inside, the heavy silence was broken and Don was barking orders, maneuvering Leo toward the couch. "April, get all the bandages and medical supplies you have. Casey, get some water and a clean rag—I need to wipe the blood away so I can see the wounds. Master Splinter, apply pressure to his right hand—gently, but enough to slow the bleeding. Raph… yeah, you get the left." Don decided to leave Mikey free to hold Leo—the orange-wearing turtle was taking the whole thing very hard, and Don didn't want to make it worse.

Donny plastered a determined look on his face as he worked to stop his big brother's bleeding. If he could just stop the bleeding, Leo would live. He knew he would… he had to! Don shook his head in frustration, trying to push all thoughts out of his head that would distract him from what he was doing. He couldn't despair now, he had to stay focused. There was no time for weakness….

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As soon as Leo's hand stopped bleeding and Raph had wrapped it with one of the bandages April had given him, Raph moved as far away from his brothers as he could while still having a clear view. He should have been there sooner, should have moved faster. He should have done things his way and gone in fighting, not waiting for something like this to happen. He should have… he should have done something. Raph let his head fall into his hands before leaning against the wall behind him and sliding to the floor. He had no idea if there was any hope for Leo. Don hadn't said anything since he finished giving orders and the expression on his face had been grim. For all Raph knew, Leo could be dying.

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Mikey continued to cling to his brother, praying that he would live. This was all his fault. If he hadn't gotten captured by the Elite Leo wouldn't have had to surrender and he wouldn't have had to save him… and Leo wouldn't be dying. Mikey didn't think he could take his oldest brother's death. Leo was always there to protect him, to comfort him, to keep him safe, to laugh with him. Leo left him free to be Mikey. He left him free to be a goofball, a prankster, and a hyperactive video game addict. Because of Leo, Mikey didn't have to worry about anything. Leo was his shield from worry. And without that shield, Mikey didn't think he could go on being "happy" Mikey.

Mikey looked at Don, hoping to find some encouragement on his face. The brainy turtle still looked grim, but he hadn't lost the determination in his eyes. It was bad—Mikey could tell that—but Donny hadn't lost hope. Maybe they wouldn't be losing their leader, their big brother, after all. Maybe there was hope…. Mikey clung to that hope harder than he held to his brother. He had to hope….

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Master Splinter loosely held Leonardo's hand after the bleeding stopped, looking into his son's face. His eldest son—the strong, brave leader. The one who shouldered the worry and responsibility of the clan. The one who looked after his brothers and would willingly—no, gladly—surrender his life for that of any of his family. The one who blamed himself for the weakness and folly of others. The one who trained himself to the point of exhaustion in order to better protect his brothers. The one who caused no end of worry for his father.

Of all his sons, Leonardo was the one Splinter worried about the most when they went out--for this very reason. He would rather die than see one of his brothers injured, and he was ready to do anything to keep that from happening. The old rat sighed and placed his hand on Leonardo's forehead. He sensed a great unrest in his son's spirit. He would have to see about that if… no, _when_ he woke up.

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I don't know why, but I always seem to throw these "feelings" chapters in there. I hope it wasn't too boring—more will happen in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Four drooping heads immediately shot up when Don and April came into the kitchen, exhaustion etched into every part of their body. They had banished Master Splinter, Casey, Raph, and Mikey from the living room an hour ago saying they needed more space to work. The group had been silent ever since, listening to the low murmuring coming from the next room. Now they looked at the two slumped figures expectantly.

After a moment of tense silence, Raph spoke up. "Well, how is he?" He winced a little at how blunt his question sounded, but he didn't amend it as he waited for the answer. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Don sighed.

"He'll live." Everyone in the room seemed to let out a simultaneous sigh of relief. But as soon as the words had sunk in questions began to form in everyone's minds. As all four of them opened their mouths to voice those questions, Donny held up a hand. "Luckily the wound to the stomach didn't hit anything vital and as soon as we got the bleeding to stop that wasn't too much of a problem anymore. It'll be a while until he's up and back to his normal routine, but there shouldn't be any long-term effects besides the scarring." More tension seemed to melt away from the group as Don continued. For a moment after he finished talking everything seemed to be fine—that is, until Raph remembered Leo's hands. Don hadn't even mentioned them. That meant one of two things: either there was nothing to worry about, or Don was hiding some bad news. Raph prayed it was the former.

The hothead was ready to ask about it when Mikey beat him to the punch. "But what about his hands, Donny? Are they okay?" When Don hesitated, Raph felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. Evidently it was bad news. Donny cleared his throat and looked at the floor, obviously uncomfortable.

"We did all we could. I just hope it's enough. His left hand should be fine in a month or two, but as for his right…. Well, he may not have full mobility of his fingers. There are a lot of major tendons in the palm and the Shredder's claws severed some of them…." Don's voice broke and April put her hand on his shoulder, her eyes also downcast. "I did all I could." Raph stared straight ahead, trying to take in the meaning of his little brother's words. If Leo couldn't move his fingers…. Raph may not have known much about medical stuff, but he knew that if you can't move your fingers you can't hold a sword. Leo may still be able to use his left hand, but his weapons were called the _twin_ katana for a reason. There were two of them. And if he could only use one hand… he could only use one sword.

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"Is there any chance Leonardo may regain use of his right hand, my son?" Splinter asked, pushing aside his anxiety to look at things objectively. Overreacting would not help Leonardo now.

"There's… a chance. A small one, but there is hope," his brainy son replied. Splinter nodded, glancing at his other two sons to judge their reactions. Raphael looked shocked and, for once in his life, at a loss for words. Michelangelo had a look of horror on his face that was quickly changing into determination.

"If there's a chance Leo'll get better then he will. I mean, it's _Leo_. He never lets anything like this get him," the youngest turtle exclaimed with conviction.

Raph seemed to recover when he heard Michelangelo's words. "Mikey's right. Heck, Leo's too _stubborn_ to not heal. Just a small chance is all he needs." Splinter smiled. His sons' faith in their brother was encouraging and touching. Michelangelo was always an optimist, but to hear Raphael speak so was a little unexpected. As big as his second oldest son talked, he still needed Leonardo's guidance and leadership. His nickname "Fearless Leader" may have been mostly out of spite and to annoy Leonardo, but Splinter knew part of it was that that was the image his younger brothers had of him. Fearless. Invincible. And at times, it seemed as if the three younger turtles thought of their older brother as _immortal_. But for all they knew, he was. Leonardo had come back from several life-threatening wounds and illnesses in the past. Even Splinter sometimes found himself doubting his son's mortality.

Yes, Leonardo would come back from this as well. His life was no longer in danger, and Leonardo would let nothing short of death keep him from becoming the best he could be.

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I'm sorry it's so short, but I wanted to get something out before this weekend. I don't know if I'll be able to update until Monday, but I'll do my best. Thanks for reading and reviewing so faithfully.


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks to 54Viruses, Merdeka21, BigfootSighted, Puldoh, Sapphire93, Lady-Of-The-Rings, Winged-Monkey, The Ghost of , aronoiiel, Michael J Angelo, Kyaserin Marii, villagemonster, Eridani23, hmw95, and Diamond-Of-Longcleave for your reviews. I still don't own the turtles or other related characters. Enjoy!

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Leo lay on the couch staring at his bandaged hands and trying to process what Don had just told him. He had managed to save Mikey from the Shredder, but he had paid a high price. He tried to move the fingers of his right hand—just to see if somehow Don was wrong. But he knew it was useless. Donny was never wrong about that kind of thing. Three seconds of fruitless labor later only solidified this knowledge.

"You were lucky, though. If the blades hadn't hit your hands first, then based on the angle of the wounds and the trajectory and velocity of the attack, they would have stabbed you right in the chest. There wouldn't have been anything I could have done," Don said, obviously uncomfortable with Leo's silence. The older of the two nodded, meeting his brother's eyes for the first time.

"Thanks, Donny. I know you did all you could. That's all I or anyone else can ask of you." Don opened his mouth but apparently thought better of it and closed it again, nodding his head.

"Thanks, Leo. Do… um, do you wanna see the others now?" Leo nodded. In truth he really wanted to be alone to deal with the news, but he didn't want his family and friends to think something was wrong. And he did want to see everyone. "Okay, I'll let them know." Don stood up and walked back toward the kitchen, pausing at the doorway and looking back at his older brother. "Leo—I'm sorry."

"You don't have any reason to be sorry, Don. If it weren't for you I'd be dead now—many times over," Leo reassured the brainy turtle. Don smiled in thanks and continued into the kitchen.

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Mikey practically ran into the living room when Don said they could see Leo. He hurried over to the couch and had to stop himself from literally throwing himself down on top of his brother. Instead he fell to his knees and gently wrapped his arms around Leo's neck as tears began to slide down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, bro. If I had only… if I had gotten free… if I had…."

"Michelangelo, stop it." The fierce tone coming from his normally calm leader caused Mikey to pull back and stare at him. "It's not your fault—don't you dare think that. You were still recovering. No one could have expected you to get free; I was completely healthy and it was all I could do to break the ropes. Besides, you didn't make me do anything. I chose to do what I did because I wanted to. So just stop blaming yourself!" Mikey blinked and continued staring at Leo. He seemed angry at him for feeling guilty. Mikey still wanted to blame himself—still felt like he deserved it—but he felt the guilt melt away as Leo met his stare evenly, his eyes sincere.

Mikey couldn't keep from throwing himself on his brother this time as sobs erupted from his throat. As soon as he could breathe normally he whispered in Leo's ear, "Thanks, bro."

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As soon as Mikey let go of Leo, Raph moved into his place and awkwardly hugged his big brother. Right before he let go Leo whispered, "And don't you blame yourself either, Raphael. Donny told me the plan and there was nothing you could have done to stop me even if I had known then. I made the choice to do what I did and nothing would have gotten in my way." Raph's protest died on his lips as Leo finished talking. It scared him how perceptive the oldest turtle was sometimes. He settled for nodding.

"Thanks, Leo," he muttered. He stepped back as Master Splinter took his place by Leo's side and the two shared a whispered conversation. He looked at April and Casey who had stayed close to the kitchen to give Leo's family some time to see him. Casey grinned encouragingly at him and he smirked back, showing his gratitude in the only way he knew how.

After everyone had had a chance to talk to Leo, the injured turtle thanked them all and asked for some time alone. "I just want to think about stuff," he said. Raph was about to protest when Donny ushered them all back into the kitchen speaking over his shoulder as he did.

"Sure thing, Leo. Call if you need anything." Leo nodded and Don followed the rest of the group into the kitchen leaving Leo alone.

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As soon as Don had everyone in the kitchen and out of earshot of Leo, he was bombarded with questions. He held up his hand and waited for everyone to stop talking. As soon as it was silent Raph burst out, "Well how'd he take the news, Brainiac?" Don sighed and rubbed his head tiredly. He had stayed up half the night with Leo and between that and the long day yesterday he was thoroughly exhausted.

"Better than I expected, but I think he was hiding how he felt. I really don't know how he's doing."

Splinter nodded. "Leonardo has never been one to be openly emotional. We will have to wait and see how he handles Donatello's diagnosis."

"I hate waitin'," Raph muttered from his place at the table.

"We know, Raph, believe me," Don said. "But Sensei's right. There's nothing we can do for now except offer as much support as we can. Leo's not going to handle it well if he loses use of his hand—he can fight with only one sword but he's not satisfied with anything short of perfection when it comes to ninjitsu. So all we can do is wait and help in any way we can."

"Well if support is what Leo needs, support is what Leo's gonna get. We'll get him through this—he's gotten us through difficult situations and now it's out turn to help him." Everyone nodded determinedly at Mikey's speech. They would help Leo through this. It may take a while, but Leo would be okay.

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Well, this is the last chapter. I'm planning a sequel some time in the near future, so be on the look-out. Thanks to everyone who read "I Shall Atone" and especially to those of you who reviewed. See you soon.


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